Top 10 Fictional Characters We'd Like as U.S. President

If you live anywhere in the United States, and particularly if you live in a swing state (as I do), you're probably not only aware there's a presidential election set to happen this coming Tuesday, you probably can't wait for it to be over one way or the other. We don't take sides in political campaigns here on GeekDad as a policy, but I do have to say that, considering the choice between the major-party candidates, I can definitely think of a few characters from geeky fiction we'd rather vote for.

If those people were real, that is. But, even if they're all fictional, I'm pretty sure I'd vote for any of these men and women before I'd for my preferred candidate in the 2012 election. Note that, in the interest of fun (and, I'll be honest, ease of writing), I'm including people on the list who would in actual fact be disqualified from running based on silly things like not technically being human or coming from a different country, different universe, or different time. My feeling is that if being fictional isn't going to disqualify them, why should anything else?

Yes, it's a bit obvious, which is why I've put it at #10. Of the five Star Trek series' captains, he has the best combination of level-headedness, intellect, and raw leadership ability. Plus, he's so well-spoken – so is Ben Sisko, but that whole Emissary thing would raise church-and-state conflict issues if he were president.

9. Eddard "Ned" Stark (Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin)

It's possible he's just too honorable to be president, even though the consequences of underestimating the deceitfulness of the opposing political party are generally much less dire than doing the same to the Lannisters. But he certainly knows how to inspire confidence and loyalty in those he leads, and that alone is no small feat. Add to that his skilled tactician's brain and he'd make a fine president, assuming he could learn how to keep his head when under pressure.

8. Gandalf the Grey/White (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy)

There had to be a character from Tolkien on the list, of course, and I kept going back and forth between Gandalf and Aragorn. Aragorn is perhaps the obvious choice, even if suggesting a hereditary monarch as U.S. president seems a bit inappropriate. I decided on Gandalf, though, partly because, while his leadership skills aren't always the best, he took on a balrog and lived to tell the tale, and that's badass enough that little else matters. The main reason for picking Gandalf, though, is that were he president he could, every time he uses his veto pen, shout at the bill in question "You shall not pass!"

7. Professor Minerva McGonagall (The Harry Potter series)

Dumbledore is the obvious choice from the Potterverse, but he's too self-involved, receiving loyalty from most of Hogwarts' students but never really showing them he cares about what happens to them – with one obvious exception. It's only because the books (and films) follow Harry that we get to see Dumbledore actually doing something. Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, is extremely loyal to Hogwarts, its students, and particularly to Gryffindors. willing to do anything to protect them – and the students in general feel the same way about her. Plus she's played by Maggie Smith in the movies, and Maggie Smith is just awesome.

6. Kermit the Frog (Muppets, Sesame Street)

As leaders go he's a bit green, but when you consider that he has to wrangle "dogs and bears and chickens and things" on a day-to-day basis, guest stars oeimes, and at the same time try to put a good show on the stage. And while he may get exasperated at times, and occasionally karate-chopped by an irate female pig who's in love with him, there's no doubt at all that he inspires loyalty in every single Muppet. Not to mention a great many humans.

A skilled military leader, but one who shows he can work well with civilians as well in the various Stargate series (and the movie as well). He generally keeps his cool, even when dealing with significant personal problems. And he's played by MacGyver, so what else could you ask for?

4. President Laura Roslin (Battlestar Galactica, the new version)

She's a terrific leader, managing to (pretty much) hold together a small group of people who are all that's left of humanity. The only reason she isn't higher on the list is that she uses some pretty unscrupulous tactics to hold onto her job, including stuffing ballot boxes. She also, along with former political foe Bill Adama, takes the phrase "Politics makes strange bedfellows" literally, which is perhaps not what you'd want a good leader to do – nor is seeing strange visions because of medication. Her political smarts, her ability to get things done even she's very sick, and her general intolerance of bulls**t, earn her a spot here.

3. Professor Charles Xavier (X-Men)

He's Professor X, leader of the X-Men; what else do you need to know? He'd make a great leader, and, besides, you know he'd be brilliant at both negotiating with the other political party, but also in foreign policy matters. Because it shot be clear that nobody in any kind of debate can be a match for a man who literally can read minds. (And yes, I realize that this makes two Patrick Stewart-portrayed characters on the list – the man can obviously portray a good leader very well).

2. Zoë Alleyne Washburne (Firefly / Serenity)

Much as I love the character of Mal Reynolds, and think he makes a terrific mercenary ship captain, I can't see him making a good president. He's too impulsive, too much of a cowboy. Zoë, on the other hand, is calm and levelheaded in a crisis, and yet is still excellent at kicking ass and taking names. If she could figure out a way to handle the boring parts of the job – and given her resourcefulness, I expect she could – she'd make a terrific president.

1. Mon Mothma (Star Wars)

She not only plants the seeds of the rebellion against the Empire, but nourishes those seeds from their beginnings in the backlash against Palpatine seizing power all the way to their ending when the second Death Star explodes. She organizes whole planets to side with the rebels, and even tutors Princess Leia so someone could take over for her (Mothma) when needed. Once the rebels win (spoiler alert!) she is instrumental in establishing the New Republic (according to the novels, anyway – we'll find out for sure when the new episodes hit theaters. Honestly, considering her importance to the rebellion's victory, she ought to be as iconic a figure as Darth Vader or Obi-Wan Kenobi. In any case, she'd make a heck of a great president, and I'd vote for her any day.